The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-07-16
A BRAVE BOY.
He Could Not BE Coaxed Nor Ridtauied
Into Wrong Doing.

Ahbo "IOhk Do"bs
like to read of heroes. like TO see
men who have done heroic deeds. l
feel strengthened by thinking of
what they have done. 1t acts as
tonic to ones moral nature.
Not long since l saw a hero; | was a
witness of his brave deed, and have felt
a warm glow at my heart hundred
times since at the thought of it. But
the deed of bravery was one the pa
pers said nothing about. They would
not have considered it worth mentions
ing, suppose; but l do, and / am 90.
ing to write it down to help others who
may be tempted as this boy was. For
my hero was only a boy; but there is,
the making of strong man in him.
1t happened in this way: was walk
ing down the street, and stopped in
front of saloon to talk with a friend.
As we stood there two boys came along.
"Come in and have something to,
drink" said one of them.
Thank YOU" was the reply ''but L
never drink"
"Oh, Temperance are you?" said the,
other, in a tone that had a suspicion of
a sheer in it.
Eyes, answered the boy bravely; It
do not believe in drinking liquor"
"Well you needn't drink liquor if
you do not want to-" said his COM
panion, "take some lemonade"
mot in a saloon" was the others
reply.
"Why not?" asked his friend st
won't make you drunk because they
sell whisky over the same bar, will itP''
81 don't suppose it would" was the
reply. 'But saloons are bad places,
and 1 do not believe in patronizing
them"
"What a moral young fellow you
aren' said his friend, with contempt in
his words. "Do you mean to preach
when you get to be man?"
'No, [ do not expect to" was the
reply, "but l intend to make man of
myself; and never knew fellow to
amount to much who got into the hab-
it of frequenting saloons.
II have not asked you to hang about
saloons have I?" demanded his friend,
agrily. ''One would think from what
you say that L asked you to get
drunk"
"You did not ask me to get drunk"
was the reply, "but you have asked me
to take the first step in that direction.
If drank now l would probably drink
again. How long would it be before
l got the habit formed of drinking
liquor?"
Some other young fellows had come
up by this time, and the one who had
invited his friend to drink turned to
them and said:
"You have come Just in time to hear
Temperance lecture. Go on, Bob;
may be you can convert these chaps"
Then they laughed. But Bob did not
get angry. He looked them bravely
in the face and said:
81 suppose you think 1 am soft be-
cause | will not drink. l know YOU
think am foolish because l refused to
90 into the saloon and have glass of
lemonade; but l do not, and l am not
afraid to stand up for what l think is
right. If you want to drink you will
do it, suppose, in spite of any thing I
can say against it, but you can not
coax or laugh me into doing it. L
want to have my own respect, and I
shouldn't have it if / drank, for do
not believe it is right to drink whisky.
You think, l suppose, that l am a
coward in not drinking, but l think
should prove myself a coward in doing
it."
Was not glad to hear the boy say
thatP l could not help going to him
and telling him so.
''Thank YOU" said he, looking
pleased at what l said; 81 mean to be
man, and l should not be if 1 got to
drinking"
He was right. God bless the young
hero. | wish there were thousands
more like him. The LilV